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D. S. BIRRELL AND G. SMITH.

WEAVING 0F CRIMPED 0R WIRE MESH WORK MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEY. 1918.

1,3 1 1 ,746. Patented July 29, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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iawalgr Till! coLunnlA rLANoaRAPn 60.. wunmu'mu. D. c.

D. S. BIRRELL AND G. SMITH.

WEAVING 0F CRIMPED 0R WIRE MESH WORK MATERIAL.

APPUCATION FlLED JUNE 7, 19181 1,31 1,746. Patented July 29, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\llli COLUMBIA PLANnuuwn cu WASHINGTON. I). c.

WEAVIN ELL AND G. SMITH.

R WIRE MESH WORK MATERIAL.

. FILED IUNE 7. 1918. 1,311,746.

' Patented July 29, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

D. S. BIRRELL AND G. SMITH.

WEAVING 0F CRIMPED 0R WIRE ME SH WORK MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE].1910.

1,3 1 1,746. I Patented July 29, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

'IIIL' COLUMBIA I'LANOGRAPII to, WASHINGTON, n. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL STEWART BIZRRELL AND GEORGE SMITH, 0F WARRINGTON, ENGLAND.

WEAVING- OF GRIMPED 0R WIRE-MESH WORK MATERIAL.

Application filed June 7, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, DANIEL STEWART BIRRELLand Gnoner. SMITH, subjects of the King of England, and residing atWarrington, in the county of Lancaster, England, have inventedImprovements in and (Jonnected with the Weaving of Crimped or Wire-MeshW'ork Material, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to weaving or manufacturing crimped orwaved wire mesh work material or fabric, and it has primarily for itsobject to provide improvements in connection with such manufacture so asto enable it to be done by machinery,

at least to a large extent.

Hitherto the rate of manufacture of mesh work fabric of crimped or wavedwire, consisting of longitudinal or warp wires, and separate lengths ofwefts or transverse wires, has been very slow owing to certaindifliculties and defects in the wires and other conditions; andmoreover, the product has not been uniform, even with the slow rate ofprogress or manufacture which has taken place. This slowness is duepartly to attempts by the operators to correct inaccuracies ofmanufacture, and to make the mesh work approach uniformity and a truegeometrical pattern.

Further,in making mesh work of erimped or wave wires, say of one, two ormore crimps or waves between each intersection or cross laying of meshwires, it is found in practice that the pitch of the waves or crimps inthe lengths of wires, although made in the one machine, varies, dueto'variation of quality or temper of the metal wires, and other causes, andconsequently in making up mesh work of these wires, as in the war wiresthe crimps do not come true, or eomcide transversely,'generally, adefective material is produced.

The difiiculties and drawbacks hitherto existing are by this inventionovercome, and the production of a continuous fabric of the characterreferred to, of a uniform charactor and true geometrical design orpattern of fabric, is effected by mechanical means, in which the wiresare mechanically adjusted, and irregularities of pattern, andinequalities of pitch of the crimps or waves are adjusted or correctedand gaged, and a flat and even and uniform fabrlc of the requiredgeometrical design and formation Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1919.

Serial No. 238,763.

of mesh, is accomplished; and according to this invention, as the fabricis bein made, the crimps or waves in this multip lcity of warp wires,will be caused in the manner hereinafter described.to come in the trueposition transversely, and so that the weft or transverse waved wires,which are introduced between the warp wires when the shed is formed, bya suitable shedding mechanism, will lie truly in position, and can bebeaten up by a slay to this true position; and the means and mechanismemployed constitute a correcting and gaging mechanism, and general meansof manufacturing this mesh work mechanically, rapidly, of uniformstructure, and efficiently.

The mechanism for adjusting, setting and correcting wires and meshes,and forming a true age, consists of tapered or conical gages which areinserted through the meshes between the longitudinal and transversewires forming them, and at one part, which is to form the gaging part,they are of the size of mesh required, and they are inserted through themeshes mechanically. In the preferred form they are formed as teeth onthe periphery of wheels or disks suitably carried on a shafttransversely in the bed or table of the machine, alon the surface ofwhich the fabric is move and they are rotated mechanically, and in andby their motion, they not only adjust and correct the positions of bothsets of wires (warp or weft) in the piece, but also move the fabricalong the table, thrusting it forward. In front of and behind thesedevices is a roller, say a weighted or sprin pressed roller. whichpresses and holds the material down onto the face of the table, andassists in the action of the adjustin or gaging wheels, and the generalmanu acture, which wheels both push the fabric forward, as well as drawthe warp wires along through the shedding machinery from the warproller.

By correcting the lengths of wire and obtaining a true crimp pitch,these crimps will come in the correct position transversely for the weftwires, which will be introduced through the shed and beaten up by theslay; and afterward when the meshes thus formed come under the action ofthe gages or correcting devices, if any irregularity of mesh exists, itis again orrected, so that the ages or correcting devices correct anydef ects at the point where the slay knocks" up the weft wires,- andagain at the gages.

The gages or correcting devices on the wheels ondisks will, at theirbases, be close together, that is the space between them will be justsu'ffi'c'ir'ar'i't to enable the weft wires to lie in them, when theteeth rise to the uppermost position, so that-they act'as cog wheels tothe fabric.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawingspin which Figurel is a longitudinal viewof the'ap-par'atus or machinery employed, andFig. 2-is a plan of ei ll.

Fig.- 3 is a longitudinal section showing a detail of the mesh adjustingand correcting or gaging apparatus or means; and

'Fig. 4 1s a transverse view of a part of same to a sma-ller'scale.

In the drawings, 1 are the crimpe'd or waved warp wires which are woundand carried on a warp reel 3, and 2 are the crimped or waved weft wireswhich are made in suitable lengths, and generally introduced by handinto the shed of the warps. kl are the shed forming heddles which areadapted to be operated say by foot, in thef'well-known way; and 5 is theslay for beating up the weft-wires 2, it being operatedbyhand, by ahandle 6.

The adjusting or. correcting gages are marked 10, and in the case shownthey are provided upon wheels or disksll, and form a species oftoothwheel ;'andas will be seen more clearly in Fig. 3,-the gages lieclosely together at their bases, the spaces between them beingjustsufficient to enable the weft wires 2,:to lie in the hollow at theirroots.

In the case shown, there are two sets of thesegage or correcting disksorwheels 11, one below and one above the fabric. They V are mountedon-rectangular shafts 13, upon which they are threaded, andfare held inpoalternate mesh of the fabric, but the two together enter'every mesh.The teeth of the two sets of gage wheels overlap, but the gapbetweenthem" at the bases of the two sets,.liej respectively below theposition of q the warp wires 2,'and above same; and in these gapsthewarps lie in passing over the table 1 8 ofthe machine. 7

In front of and beyond the gage wheels 11, are the pressing-rollers l5,1 6which are free to rise in their bearings 17; and they are ofconsiderable weight, that is such that they exert considerable downwardpressure upon the material, as to hold it in position and fiaton the'tablel8, in front and at the back of the gaging wheels 11; and theypromote'o'rassist materially and generally by their coaction and effectwith the wheels 11, in the accomplishment of the object of theinvention, namely, an improved machine made crimped or waved wire meshwork fabric. 7

In the machine shown, the rotation of-the gage or correcting wheels 11is' e-ifectedby a lever and pawl and ratchet arrangement 20 acting onone of the shafts of the wheels 11, and it is adapted to be worked byhand, and by the same attendant who works theheddles 4; but if desired,it;may; be worked by machinery in a mechanical-drivenmachine.

By the operation'of these wheels 1l, the setting or adjusting andcorrecting and gaging of the meshes of the wires constituting thefabric, so astoproduce' a truerectangular mesh article, is accomplished;and the warp wires from the drum 3 are pulled for' ward, and thefinished fabric pushed forwardto the taking on-drum,;not shown.-

As the weft wires are introducedthrough theshed, between the slay 5 andthe'front roller 15, they are beaten up bythe slay by the operatorintothe position required, approximately, and-any.inaccuracy ofposition, or want of truth ofthe weftsyis corrected by the gages 10ashereinabovedescribed; and at the same time'any inacc'urac'ies ofposition ofthe warp wires'are corrected by the gage teeth-1d In themanufacture of fabric'of the character referred to, it has not "hithertobeen found possible or feasible, commercially,to make it of long lengthssuch as several hundred feet long, a feasible limit being between 50 and100 feet, as with greater lengths than this, the fabric has been found 7to become ragged, and unmanageable {atthe end of this relatively shortlength; whereas by the method of operating'upon thewires mechanically asdescribed, any length ofuniform structure can be made and made rapidlyand inexpensively; and as above stated by this invention,'a1thoughthe-pitch of the crimps in; all the wiresused may be not regular and}uniforin, the systemj--:and

machine will' obviate the effect ofsame, which otherwise would takeplace through such defects; and in additionto the efl'ects or advantagesabove referred to, the machine is; self-starting, and -no pullingthrough of the fabric is required, and it does away withscrap ends ofwire, a-nd'so saves wire, there being. no tag ends.v

What is claimedsisz V 1.; In a-machine for weaving crimpedor waved wiremesh-work material or fabric, gaging means comprising upper and lowerrotatable elements embodying annular sets of tapered teeth to enter themeshes of the fabric, said annular sets of teeth having spaces at theroots of the teeth for receiving the weft of the fabric.

2. In a machine for weaving crimped or waved wire mesh-work material orfabric, gaging means adapted to enter all the meshes of the fabric andto adjust and gage the Wires and correct inequalities of pitch of same,and pressure means engaging the fabric upon the sides of the gagingmeans.

3. In a machine for weaving crimped or waved wire mesh-work material orfabric apparatus for adjusting setting and correcting all the wires andmeshes, gaging means consisting of tapered or conical teeth around theperiphery of a wheel adapted to pass through the meshes mechanically,and at the part forming the gaging portion are of the size of the meshrequired, and at their roots or bases have spaces between them justsufficient to enable the weft to lie in same.

4. In a machine for weaving crimped or waved wire mesh-work material orfabric, the combination of two sets of gage wheels adapted to enter andgage all the meshes one below and one above the fabric, disposed inplanes intermediate one another and means for rotating same.

5. In a machine for weaving crimped or waved wire mesh-work material orfabric, the combination of rotatable gage wheels adapted to pass throughthe meshes of the 1 fabric, and pressing rollers disposed one in frontof and one behind said wheels.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL STEWART BIRRELL. GEORGE SMITH. Witnesses:

WILLIAM PARSONS, FRED SHELLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

